Country Farm

Block 23, Country Farm was a delight to stitch.  The verdant green of the paddocks in spring, the golden corn stretching to the corner of each paddock just prior to harvest; the red?  Perhaps the rooves of the homestead and the barns, and the delicate lavender/silver a symbol of the peace that is 'living on a country farm'?  That was my interpretation of this block. 

Part of the letter that inspired block 23 from The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt by Laurie Aaron Hird reads: "We farm women of today need no pity.  We have as many conveniences and pleasures as city women and we make use of our opportunities."   Now isn't that still today a true fact? !

Corn and Beans

After a break from constructing blocks for The Farmer's Wife sampler quilt, once again I am back on the job.

Block 22, Corn and Beans was more fiddly and time-consuming than difficult, but with thoughts of rows of tall corn competing for green beans on wigwams for the summer sunshine, my mind was completely occupied while my fingers stitched.  I remembered The Waltons, a television programme of last century and pictured Grandmother and Mother in their massive farm kitchen canning home-grown produce. 

I do not know if corn was preserved, but canned beans are popular all over, even today.

Churn Dash and Contrary Wife

Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt block 20 was Churn Dash, one of the simpler blocks to do.  Memories of 'winding the separator' to make cream which my mother turned into luscious fresh butter ... in the good old days when I was young!  I am trying to keep to similar colours to what is in the book, The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt by Laurie Aaron Hird; the rich gold in this block does remind me of home-made butter.

Block 21, Contrary Wife is bright and 'contrary'.  The letter pertaining to this block catalogues the differences between a country woman and a town woman, to the detriment of the town woman!  I chose barely matching colours in an effort to show that perceived gap between town and country.